JIMMY SMOTHERS: Stephens' passing leaves hearts heavy

Published: Friday, August 3, 2012 at 6:01 a.m.

Last Modified: Friday, August 3, 2012 at 11:06 p.m.

Strange, isn't it, how some things can sometimes take an unusual twist? Here are a couple of examples.

When I first heard the news Thursday morning that Carl Stephens had died, I was out of town. A couple of things immediately came to mind, but neither had anything to do with his demise.

First thought was that if I were home, I'd need to write a column about Carl, a Gadsden native, who had been a friend for many years. It turned out that I got home a day earlier than expected and am writing a column after all for The Times.

The second thing that popped to mind was more about Mary Stephens, and the first time I'd seen her.

I was in Memphis to cover an Auburn football game, probably the Liberty Bowl. Bright and early one morning as I was leaving my hotel room, I noticed a “little girl” in her bedroom gown and slippers slipping out of a room down the hall. When she saw me she seemed embarrassed and quickly slipped back into the room.

Because she was petite I thought she was some teenager, probably attempting to sneak into a friend's room. I was wrong.

Later, I saw her at breakfast with Carl. Turns out she was his wife and she had started to the next room to check on their children. Later I would sometimes kid Carl about his “young wife.”

I liked to kid him about being an Alabama graduate yet becoming famous as the “Voice of the Auburn Tigers,” pointing out that most Auburn fans probably didn't know he was an Alabama man. But he was quick to remind me that one time he had covered both Auburn and Alabama, which was a lot of fun. He said both Ralph Jordan and Paul Bryant had been nice to him. Actually, the first bowl game he covered was an Alabama game in the mid-60s. I'm not sure, but it was probably an Orange Bowl against either Texas or Nebraska.

I also used to kid him about being born on the same day as Elvis Presley (Jan. 8, 1935).

Carl knew from an early age what he wanted to be. He didn't graduate from Gadsden High until 1953. But along about 1950, during the heyday of the Gadsden Pilots and WGAD play-by-play announcer Lee Blaine, the station held an amateur announcer contest. The winner would get to announce an inning of a Pilots' game on the air. Carl won over classmate Ernest Allen. Both men went to Alabama, Carl getting his career in television and Ernest becoming a band director.

He went to work at a Montgomery TV station the next day after graduating from Alabama in June 1957, and within three months, at age 22, became very popular with children in the viewing audience as Cartoon Carl.

In 1963 he became the station's sports director. That led to his job as host of the “Auburn Football Review” with coach Shug Jordan. He was concerned at first that Auburn people might not accept an Alabama man in that role, but Jordan advised him to “never look back.”

Stephens didn't, moving on to become popular with fans as the voice of the Tigers; working as the PA man for SEC championship events, some NCAA events and spending more than 40 years at the same TV station where he started.

Jordan coined a phrase on the football review show that earned Stephens a legendary spot in Auburn lore. Each Sunday he would introduce the coach and make a statement. Jordan always replied, “You're so right, Carl.” It became not only a catch phrase, but started showing up as a bumper sticker on cars. It can still be heard today when old Auburn grads get together.

Because he was from Gadsden, he'd always single me out at various sporting events to inquire about his hometown. As long as his mother lived, she would send him clippings of many of my articles, and especially the ones where I'd mention him or some Auburn game that he'd also worked.

I always had great respect for Carl, a legendary announcer, a good worker, a family man, a friend. He will be laid to rest later today following 2 p.m. memorial services at First United Methodist Church in Montgomery. Today hearts are still heavy.

Jimmy Smothers can be reached at jmmys1@aol.com. His book, “The Game,” may be purchased at The Gadsden Times' customer service desk.

<p class="bold allcaps">COMMENTARY</p>
<p>Strange, isn't it, how some things can sometimes take an unusual twist? Here are a couple of examples.</p><p>When I first heard the news Thursday morning that Carl Stephens had died, I was out of town. A couple of things immediately came to mind, but neither had anything to do with his demise.</p><p>First thought was that if I were home, I'd need to write a column about Carl, a Gadsden native, who had been a friend for many years. It turned out that I got home a day earlier than expected and am writing a column after all for The Times.</p><p>The second thing that popped to mind was more about Mary Stephens, and the first time I'd seen her.</p><p>I was in Memphis to cover an Auburn football game, probably the Liberty Bowl. Bright and early one morning as I was leaving my hotel room, I noticed a “little girl” in her bedroom gown and slippers slipping out of a room down the hall. When she saw me she seemed embarrassed and quickly slipped back into the room.</p><p>Because she was petite I thought she was some teenager, probably attempting to sneak into a friend's room. I was wrong.</p><p>Later, I saw her at breakfast with Carl. Turns out she was his wife and she had started to the next room to check on their children. Later I would sometimes kid Carl about his “young wife.”</p><p>I liked to kid him about being an Alabama graduate yet becoming famous as the “Voice of the Auburn Tigers,” pointing out that most Auburn fans probably didn't know he was an Alabama man. But he was quick to remind me that one time he had covered both Auburn and Alabama, which was a lot of fun. He said both Ralph Jordan and Paul Bryant had been nice to him. Actually, the first bowl game he covered was an Alabama game in the mid-60s. I'm not sure, but it was probably an Orange Bowl against either Texas or Nebraska.</p><p>I also used to kid him about being born on the same day as Elvis Presley (Jan. 8, 1935).</p><p>Carl knew from an early age what he wanted to be. He didn't graduate from Gadsden High until 1953. But along about 1950, during the heyday of the Gadsden Pilots and WGAD play-by-play announcer Lee Blaine, the station held an amateur announcer contest. The winner would get to announce an inning of a Pilots' game on the air. Carl won over classmate Ernest Allen. Both men went to Alabama, Carl getting his career in television and Ernest becoming a band director.</p><p>He went to work at a Montgomery TV station the next day after graduating from Alabama in June 1957, and within three months, at age 22, became very popular with children in the viewing audience as Cartoon Carl.</p><p>In 1963 he became the station's sports director. That led to his job as host of the “<a href="http://www.gadsdentimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?category=TOPIC0203"><b>Auburn Football</b></a> Review” with coach Shug Jordan. He was concerned at first that Auburn people might not accept an Alabama man in that role, but Jordan advised him to “never look back.”</p><p>Stephens didn't, moving on to become popular with fans as the voice of the Tigers; working as the PA man for SEC championship events, some NCAA events and spending more than 40 years at the same TV station where he started.</p><p>Jordan coined a phrase on the football review show that earned Stephens a legendary spot in Auburn lore. Each Sunday he would introduce the coach and make a statement. Jordan always replied, “You're so right, Carl.” It became not only a catch phrase, but started showing up as a bumper sticker on cars. It can still be heard today when old Auburn grads get together.</p><p>Because he was from Gadsden, he'd always single me out at various sporting events to inquire about his hometown. As long as his mother lived, she would send him clippings of many of my articles, and especially the ones where I'd mention him or some Auburn game that he'd also worked.</p><p>I always had great respect for Carl, a legendary announcer, a good worker, a family man, a friend. He will be laid to rest later today following 2 p.m. memorial services at First United Methodist Church in Montgomery. Today hearts are still heavy.</p>
<p class="italic font120">Jimmy Smothers can be reached at jmmys1@aol.com. His book, “The Game,” may be purchased at The Gadsden Times' customer service desk.</p>